Effective Spiritual Warfare

Gary DeLashmutt

Ephesians 6:10-18

Paul challenges us to take our position as the soldier, resisting the attacks and schemes of Satan and his demons by trusting in Jesus' authority and power. We must be alert, ready, and humbly confident in the resources that we have in Jesus. Paul describes these resources as the armor of God and they include; 1) belt of truth; 2) body armor of God's righteousness; 3) shoes of peace from the Good News; 4) shield of faith; 5) helmet of salvation; and 6) sword of the Spirit. Finally, Paul gives two more resources we have ? prayer and spiritual friendships.

Encourage One Another

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Encouragement is a powerful way to love others and to strengthen their spiritual resolve. Life is challenging and we have a spiritual adversary who wants us to fail but the Holy Spirit is our comforter, strengthener, and encourager who gives us the resources we need to love. As we rely on Him, He can work through us to encourage others through observing, reminding, warning, and consoling.\r\n

The World of Ideas (Part 2)

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Amidst spiritual warfare, it's vital to remember the importance of the mind. Taking our thoughts captive requires a deep understanding of the power of God's Word, along with our minds being shaped by what His Word says. As we conform ourselves to God's Word, we will be able to discern false thinking and combat it with His truth.

The World of Ideas (Part 1)

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

There is a deep spiritual divide in the world concerning what is objectively true. Amidst a whirlwind of ideas, it's important as Christians to stand firm on God's truth as they are opposed by different ideas, beliefs, and convictions that push people farther away from Him. In this spiritual war, our mind plays a crucial role in distinguishing the cultural views of others and how they stand against what God says, as well as distinguishing ways in which we ourselves can fall away from God's truth. Believing and living out of God's revealed Word produces real freedom to stand on in a world full of ideas that go against what He says. This teaching includes a clip from the movie Amistad.

Overcoming Temptation

Gary DeLashmutt

Luke 4:1-13

Jesus is tempted by Satan in the wilderness; this event teaches us how we will be tempted and how to overcome temptation. Our essential weapon in overcoming temptation is knowing God's Word.

Occult Confrontation

Dennis McCallum

Mark 5:1-20

Jesus' interaction with the Gerasene demoniac gives us insight into how to confront matters of the occult. Occult worship is empowered by Satan and can lead to incredibly harmful results for people who don't know Jesus, including possession and spiritual oppression. From Jesus' account, we see some characteristics of demon possession, including: 1) extraordinary strength; 2) paroxysms; 3) spiritual resistance; 4) self-destructive tendencies; and 5) tongues and voices. Jesus has ultimate authority, including over the demonic forces controlling people. Those involved in occult practice should denounce it under Christ's authority and turn towards Christ for real security from evil forces.

Dealing With Spiritual Evil (Part 1): The Adversary

Jim Leffel

1 Peter 5:8-9

As believers, knowing that Satan exists and is our adversary should elicit a few different responses in us. We can respond with confidence in the Lord, who lives in us, as He is more powerful than Satan. Satan's existence should also remind us that we are in the middle of a battle zone; now is not the time to live as though we are in ?peacetime.? Our lifestyle, friendships, and prayer life will reflect the kind of mentality we are living out.

Jesus Steps Out

Dennis McCallum

Mark 1:9-13

Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist reflected that he would take over the work that preceded him by the Old Testament prophets. Jesus' temptation in the wilderness by Satan describes the intense spiritual battle that we, as Christians, are a part of. In order to be successful in spiritual warfare, Christians need to be rooted in God's truth to dismantle Satan's lies and have dependence on the Holy Spirit's power during times of temptation. Jesus was now ready to begin his ministry to tell people about the forgiveness possible through him.

Destroying Fortresses

Dennis McCallum

John 8:44

Paul explained that Christians are in a spiritual war against Satan and his forces. This isn't a war of swords and spears, but it is a war of truth. We are able to fight away Satan's lies with the Word of truth (the Bible).